Entangled (Evolve Series Novella 2.5) (8 page)

Chapter 10

~Laney~

I
’m dressed and ready, just waiting for
Dane and Sawyer to show up so we can head out to Parker’s wedding. I still
can’t believe he’s getting
married
. And having a baby. And no longer in
college, but running the farm.

Life sure has a funny way of saying “F you” to people’s
plans and deciding things for them.

Is that what’s happening? Is Parker’s life being
decided for him? I know Parker and he’ll always do the right thing, foregoing
whatever it is he
wants
for what someone else
needs
. I really
hope that isn’t the case here.

Regardless of what I think (and I’m not even
completely sure of my position), it’s too late to talk to him about it now. I
can’t pull him aside at his own wedding and grill him. Besides, Evan’s been
around, he’d know if things weren’t on the up and up. If Evan tells me this is
what Parker wants, I’ll believe him.

“Well, don’t you look like a wet dream?” Sawyer’s
voice startles me and I look up to see him looking down at me with a lecherous
smirk.

“Gross, but thank you.” I smile and hug him. “And
you look very handsome as well.” I straighten the collar on his light blue
button down shirt, which is tucked in to pressed beige dress pants. “You clean
up nice, big boy.”

“I know.” He shrugs and wiggles his eyebrows. “But
you, Gidge—I didn’t figure you even owned such a pretty dress.”

“I didn’t,” I admit, twirling in my yellow
strapless dress and tan platform wedges, “I borrowed it from Bennett.”  The
outfit is pretty casual. I mean, it’s a farm wedding in Georgia, but still more
feminine than I usually wear. “It’s comfy, though, I like it.”

“Me too, a lot.”

My whole body responds to his voice, a wave of
tingly warmth starting at my toes and ending at my cheeks. I turn and take in
my man, looking like GQ Boss Sex on Legs.

He’s in dark slacks, a black belt with silver
buckle, and a charcoal shirt and silver tie; I swallow my tongue a little as I
shamelessly peruse him from bottom to top. His dark brown hair sticks up just a
little in the front, his matching brown eyes bewitching me with their sparkle.

I can’t help but catapult myself at him. “You look
wonderful, Mr. Kendrick. Like, too hot to be allowed out in public, really.”

“And you,” he traces my neckline with his finger,
then across my collarbone which is exposed in this dress, “showing up the
bride. Not very nice you, beautifully sexy girl.”

“Good God, you horny fucksticks, let’s go.” Sawyer
opens the front door with a bang. “We don’t have time for this. You break the
golden rule, Gidge, and we could be here all day, or get plagued by locusts for
disturbing the great design. So come on.”

Oh, I
have
to ask.

“What golden rule?” Instinctively, Dane’s hand
tenses in mine. He must know the S-bomb coming, which I’m sure is a real doozy.

He smirks, delighted that I asked. “You get it up,
you gotta take it.”

Get wha— Ohhhh, I get it.
I shake my head at
him. “Good Lord, Sawyer!”

Good to see the old Sawyer’s trying to make a
comeback, at least.

T
he drive to Parker’s isn’t tense like I
had worried; Dane and Sawyer seem to be over their mysterious argument. We
laugh and listen to music like it never happened and I’m more than a little
relieved.

When we get there, I can’t believe the
transformation. Whitley did an amazing job—the wedding is gorgeous. Pink and
white done threw up in here and you can’t see the fans she’s got hidden
somewhere, blowing hard enough you feel a breeze though nothing’s flying off
the tables.
Riddle me that one, Batman.
But really, you’d never know you
were in a barn or in blistering heat.

For the ceremony, I take a seat in the front row
beside Angie and let a few silent tears fall when I glance to see who’s seated
on Angie’s left. It’s an empty chair with Dale’s cowboy hat and one single
white rose.

He’s there, front and center, blessing his son.

Zach is seated on the other side of Dane, looking
dapper in his nicest clothes, and I’d hugged the breath out of him upon first
sight. Interestingly enough, it was Zach who’d reassured me this wedding is a
wonderful thing and that Parker is more than happy in his decisions. Evan popped
his head into the conversation and also told me not to worry, that Parker’s
“over the moon” about the direction his life has taken him.

Speaking of Evan, he stands at the front as
Parker’s best man and looks handsome as ever in his cowboy boots, black pants
and white dress shirt, pink rosebud pinned to his chest. He winks from under
his black cowboy hat when I wave at him and pats Parker’s shoulder with a smile
as the music starts.

Whitley comes down the aisle first, the maid of
honor, and looks absolutely beautiful. I can’t resist but look back at Evan and
smile from the deepest part of myself at what I find. His eyes are glued on
her, and he mouths “I love you” to her. He truly does; I can see it from here—Evan
is sincerely in love. And with Whitley’s big blue eyes right back on him, I can
see that he’s loved right back.

I reach over and take Dane’s hand in mine, pretty
damn in love myself.

At the end of the vows, Parker
whoops
, yes
whoops, and throws off his cowboy hat, dipping his very pregnant bride for a very
non-wedding like kiss. Everyone laughs softly and claps—classic Parker.

P.S. Just
how
pregnant is Hayden? The girl
is
huge
. I’m never getting pregnant. I ache just looking at her.

The reception is, you guessed it, in another barn!
It’s lovely as well, all the tables covered in pink, a DJ and dance floor laid
down, punch and cake and exhilaration in the air. Dane and I make our way over
to my dad’s table, where he sits with his date, Rosemary, and Evan’s parents.

“Laney!” Mrs. Allen jumps out of her chair and
wraps me up in the kind of hug only she can give. “So good to see you, baby
girl!” She catches Dane and pulls him in for an embrace as well. “And you must
be Dane.”

I honestly couldn’t remember if I’d introduced them
at the funeral or not; guess I got my answer.

“Yes, ma’am,” he says.

I’ve never heard him say ma’am before. I guess the
farm just brings out the Southern manners in people.

“Dane, this is Charlotte Allen, Evan’s mom. And
this,” I move to his dad and lean over, hugging his shoulders, “is his father.”
 I lean down and kiss Mr. Allen’s cheek.  “Hey, Pops.”

Mr. Allen reaches back and pats my hand on his
shoulder before standing and shaking Dane’s hand. “Nice to meet you, son. Heard
a lot of great things about you from Jeff. Says you’re real good to our Laney.”

“Yes, sir, I try,” Dane answers, then shifts and
extends his hand to my dad, who’s also risen. “How are you, Mr. Walker?”

“Jeff, boy, how many times I gotta say it?”

“Daddy,” I wrap my arms around his middle, noticing
it’s a bit bigger, “stop teasing him. Hi, Rosemary,” I lean my head around him
and smile at her. I’m ecstatic my dad is finally dating again. He’s quite a
catch if I do say so myself, and Rosemary is a kind woman, a widow whose only son
is about five years older than me and out of the house.

“There he is!” my dad hoots, and I don’t have to
turn around to know he means Evan. My dad’s been saying the same thing to his
entrance for over ten years.

“Mr. Walker,” Evan greets him.

“Jesus Christ, I’m gonna have to start wearing a
name tag with you boys. My name is Jeff,” my dad insists.

I turn now, to greet Evan, and am immediately
pummeled by an overzealous hug from Whitley.

“Laney! I love your dress!”

I can’t help but grin. She
really
is this
nice, it’s not an act. What a bitch I’d been to judge her, dislike her,
for…well, nothing really. And here we are now—friends. “Hey girl! You did great
on this wedding. It’s really beautiful.”

“Thank you! It was so much fun. Hayden just let me
do whatever I wanted.” She giggles.  “She’s too tired to care.”

“I bet.” I lean in to whisper, “Is it just me or is
she like two hundred weeks pregnant?”

Whitley can’t contain it and busts out laughing,
tugging on Evan’s arm. “Evan, come here. Okay, Laney, tell him what you just
said.”

“Um, I just asked how pregnant Hayden was,” I
mutter, embarrassed.  “She seems pretty big.”

“That’s what I said!” Evan offers me a knuckle
punch. “Don’t worry, we’re not crazy. She’s got three of them lil’ nuggets in
there.”

Three?

“God help him,” Dane mumbles, now right behind me
with his hand finding the small of my back.

“No shit, right?” Evan chuckles. “Hey, man, how are
ya?” He shakes Dane’s hand.

“All right, ladies and gentlemen!”

We all turn, fearful…Sawyer has the mic.

Zach strides up and verbalizes all our thoughts.
“Who the hell gave Beckett the mic? There’s grandmas and kids here.”

“Please welcome, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs.
Parker Jones.”

Well, that was okay.
I sigh in relief.

In walk Parker and Hayden, hand in hand, permanent
smiles plastered across their faces. We all stand back in our little group and
watch as the crowd envelopes them, waiting our turn.

“Where’s Hayden’s family?” I wonder out loud.

“Just a mom,” Evan answers, “the one in the purple
dress to her right.”

“What’s Ang think about triplets?” I whisper.

“Oh, she’s thrilled! So am I!” Whitley squeals.
“How much fun will that be?”

Um, not much, I think to myself.

Evan looks at her adoringly, sliding an arm around
her waist. Hmm…perhaps they’re even happier than I thought? I’ve never seen
that
exact
smile on Evan, clearly earned only by the new and glowing
Country Whitley.

Parker had called me a while back to explain that
he was giving Evan part of his land, to make sure I understood why he was doing
it. Of course I did; my life is different now. This place will always be home,
but I don’t see myself coming back and being a farmer or a farmer’s wife. Evan,
however? It’s a perfect fit for him, and Whitley appears to be totally on
board. I might even say…in her element? Her smile seems brighter, an extra
twinkle in her eye, not so uptight and unsure anymore.

I still think Parker’s settling down a bit early
myself, but I never worry about the head on Evan’s shoulders. Then again, I’d
go live on the moon if that’s what it took to be near Dane. I would not,
however, start spitting out moon babies or quit school and softball, and Dane
would never ask me to.

“We’ve got a special treat for you all now.” Oh
God, Sawyer’s talking again. “Whitley, come up here and do your thing, girl.”

We all look at Whitley, who goes up on her tiptoes
and kisses Evan quickly. “See ya in a bit.”

As she walks to Sawyer and the stage, Evan sticks
his fingers in his mouth and whistles his approval. And then the Larks start shuffling
onto the stage as well—I don’t even know where they came from. Oh wow. This is
gonna be cool, I just know it. I squeeze Dane’s hand in excited anticipation
and he looks down at me and winks.

“Thank you all so much for coming, and
congratulations again to Parker and Hayden. We’re the Lovely Larks,” Whitley
sweeps her hand out to introduce the ladies, “and we’re going to start with the
bride’s choice for their first dance. This is ‘When You Say Nothing At All.’”

“Great song,” Dane and I both mumble together.

Poor Hayden, she almost looks like she’s not moving
at all, just bobbing like one of those Weeble People that had the rounded
bottoms and went in their little school bus.

Anyway…she’s round. But we’ve established that.

Dane wraps his arms tight around me from behind and
whispers in my ear, “I love you.”

I reach one arm back and cup his cheek. “I love you
too, Dane.” I listen to the song, immersed in the Larks’ perfectly harmonic
voices, and watch Parker gaze at his wife, completely enamored. “Do you think
they’re crazy? Too young?”

“Do you?”

“Maybe, I don’t know. It just seems crazy to think
of. I mean, they’re our age,
my
age.”

“I think it’s different for everyone,” he says
quietly. “More about the specific person than the age.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

We all clap when the song ends, the floor now open
for everyone to dance. The Larks do some really cool things with some great
song choices, and I manage to steal a dance with my dad, Parker, Zach, Evan’s
dad, and even Evan before Dane’s finally had enough of “sharing is caring” and
stakes his claim. We dance to several slow and fast songs, some sung by The
Larks, some played by the DJ, before we finally make our way to say goodbye to
the bride and groom.

“Parker, we’re gonna go. Congratulations.” I tear
up a little as I hug him. “I love you, brother. Be happy.”